What It's Really Like To Live In The Bachelor Mansion

The massive Malibu home of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" is arguably the shows' longest running contestant. The home has seen quite a bit of action throughout the years. Between the various breakups and matches made in television heaven, the house has served as a backdrop for many a love affair. And while the villa may look like a dream location to spend a bit of time while looking for love, the reality of what it's like to live in the mansion may surprise you.

With endless iconic scenes shot in the house, it may come as a surprise that the mansion is a family home. The property is owned by Marshall Haraden, who began construction on the house back in 2004, per Cosmopolitan. When the cameras aren't rolling, Haraden, his wife, and their four children live in the mansion 10 months out of the year. While it may be a bit strange to live in a hookup house, it seems to work for the Haradens.

But, odds are, their time spent in the mansion together as a family bares little resemblance to the lives led by the shows' contestants. This 9,000 square foot house has played host to every season of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette," save one. Season 16 of "The Bachelorette" found the year's single, Clare Crawley, filming elsewhere due to concerns over COVID-19, per E! News. But for all the other seasons, there were some rules to follow in the house.

At first glance, contestants staying in the mansion featured on "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" appear to be living a life of luxury. However, not all is as it seems. Despite the lavish digs, contestants are expected to cook their own food using the house's kitchen, per E! News. Production is available to run out for necessary ingredients, but there is no chef on set to help them along. Another fun food fact, contestants aren't permitted to actually eat during any of the cute dinner dates they go on. Production brings food to their rooms prior to filming so that they don't arrive starving, but that pretty food in the shots is just for show.

The kitchen isn't the only room in the mansion that could potentially present challenges to its guests. While the home is arguably massive, the number of bathrooms per contestant is likely a bit stressful. Per Screen Rant, the house only has four bathrooms — two upstairs and two downstairs — and there can be more than 30 contestants sharing them at once. Additionally, there's no gym or workout equipment provided for contestants, so they're left to their own devices when it comes to staying in shape on set.

Perhaps most shockingly, contestants aren't paid for their time on the show. That means that many could be losing out on funds just to appear, share a bathroom with a dozen others, and cook their own food. But hey, anything for love — right?